§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to her oral statement of 17 July 1998,Official Report, columns 703–05, if she will estimate the respective contributions of (a) price reductions, (b) VAT reductions, (c) winter fuel payments and (d) other changes to the average lowering of pension fuel bills for single and for married pensioners (i) on income support and (ii) not on income support. [52034]
§ Mr. DenhamThe information requested is set out in the table. Accurate consumption data are not available by type of pensioner.
Average fuel bill and estimated possible savings £ Fuel bill (combined electricity and gas) 614.50 Price and competition reductions 62.50 VAT reductions 17.00 Winter Fuel Payments (Income Support (IS)) 50.00 Winter Fuel Payments (non-IS) 20.00 Total savings—Income Support 129.50 Total savings—non-Income Support 99.50 Notes:
1. Bills are based on average standard credit and VAT rates in force on 1 April of the financial year
2. Bills are calculated on standard consumption of 3,300 kWh for electricity and 18,000 kWh for gas
3. Price reductions include the new tariffs introduced by electricity companies in April 1998 as part of the new two year price restraints and new British Gas tariffs announced in January 1998
4. Price reductions include an estimate of a typical saving that would accrue to customers switching supplier for the 1998–99 financial year. Estimates of savings from switching supplier will vary case by case depending on when and to which supplier someone switches to
5. All figures are rounded to the nearest 50p
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